Best things to buy in October

There are good deals to be found year-round for just about anything.  However, it's the nature of business that a lot of deals happen at the same time during the year.

First, a word of warning: Next month starts the beginning of the holiday shopping season. A whole bunch of stuff goes on sale once we're in shooting distance of the holidays. Electronics are typically a biggie during Black Friday and the like, so getting something electronic now would probably be a bad idea.

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Here are things that you can find good deals on in October:

• Travel. If you're looking ahead to holiday travel, then this is the time to do it. It's also a good time to travel off-season (as in New Orleans because it's far away from Mardi Gras).
• Shoes. Apparently, footwear goes on discount in October. (I run through shoes pretty quickly — and I have to buy two pairs each time! — so I'm going to check this month for deals.)
• Lawnmowers. UIf you can find things that are just going out of season (as in lawnmowers during the fall when the grass is thinking about going into hibernation) then you can snag deals on those things because the stores are going to want to use the space for more seasonal equipment.
• Small appliances and cookware. Not sure why these are on sale this month, but there you go. You can prepare to get your holiday party host(ess) on with deals on cookware and small appliances (think OXO or Crock-Pot).
• Seasonal fruits and veggies. There's always something in season, and it's cheaper and healthier to get it in season. Some favorites for October are apples (these are in season pretty much for the rest of the year), chestnuts, elderberries, figs, grapes, pears, and tomatoes (we're getting those in our garden now — yum). Also in season are walnuts, artichoke, aubergine, beetroot, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, celery, celeriac, fennel, kale, kohlrabi — a biennial cabbage cultivar, for those keeping track — leeks, marrow, mushrooms (wild and otherwise), onions, potatoes, pumpkin (of course!), rocket (arugula), swede, turnips, and watercress.